“?Demetri Mitchell has revealed which Premier League full-backs he is learning from as the Manchester United youngster continues to excel in an unfamiliar role.
Mitchell had been widely known as a striker in the Red Devils’ youth setup, and was a regular goalscorer during his time with the club’s Under-18s. However, a spate of injuries put paid to his progress through the youth ranks and, upon battling back to full fitness, is now utilised in the shock role of left-back for Nicky Butt’s side.
Speaking exclusively to United’s “?official site, Mitchell stated that he was picking up the tricks of the trade, for his new position on the pitch, from a number of top flight stars – including one within United’s senior ranks.
He said: “I’ve just been looking at other players in the Premier League – people like Hector Bellerin [at Arsenal] and Antonio Valencia here. Antonio was a winger and, even though he’s on the right side, it’s the same position. So it’s good to learn from attacking players like them.
“I’ve also looked at how Luke Shaw gets down the left side at full-back and someone else I’ve studied is Ashley Cole as he was a winger early on but played his whole career at left-back and did so for England as well.”
Asked about how he’s adapting to his new role in defence, the 20-year-old divulged that he had not found it as difficult as he had initially envisaged when first asked to play there.
He continued: “I think I’ve adapted well. I’m just learning on the job but it’s been good learning to play in a different position. I’d never played there before. I like to get forward and find it comfortable from left-back. I just need to learn the positions to take up as I’ve not played there before.
“I had done it in training and in some friendlies we have had and I did well. We’ve had a few injuries at left-back and Nicky Butt said, as I’d done well in training, he would give me the opportunity to play there and see how I cope with it.
“I like to play with the game in front of me so there are real benefits to it. It’s an opportunity to get forward and not just be defensive but you also have to remember the defensive work and make sure you’re switched on. We don’t have any out-and-out wingers really so it’s easy to get down the sides.
“When I’m out wide, I can sometimes hear him talking to me and telling me what to do. Maybe it’s to stay back and catch my breath as it is quite a demanding role, getting forward and back. You’ve to get up and down so I just have to manage it and work on my fitness but I’m feeling quite good at the moment.”
Before injuries struck, Mitchell had been a fairly prolific forward for United’s youth teams – notching in the first six matches of the 2014/15 campaign and earning a call-up to England’s Under-17s side.
His eye for goal, though, has not deserted him despite Mitchell being roped back downfield. He scored a marvellous goal in the Premier League International Cup win over Middlesbrough on December 22, with his strike arrowing towards goal before cannoning into the net off the bar. So just what does Mitchell still make of his goalscoring ability, regardless of being put in a new position?
With a smile, he added: “It’s quite a transition from up front to left-back, but I’m still scoring goals.”
Read more from Tom Power by following him on Twitter!
Leave a Reply